Monorail structure

ABSTRACT

A monorail comprises a rail body consisting of a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section adapted to be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces of the rail body, and a rack portion formed on one surface of the rail body.

United States Patent [191 Sugimoto May 20, 1975 [54] MONORAIL STRUCTURE 3,648,617 3/1972 Metzner 105/29 R [76] Inventor: Minoru Sugimoto, 141-1 g jodo'cho Jodo'gun Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, .lr.

ayama apan Assistant Examiner-D. W. Keen [22] Filed: Nov. 8, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmErnest G. Montague; Karl [211 pp No: 414,167 F. Ross; Herbert Dubno Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 211,312, Dec. 23, 1971,

abandoned. RA T [52] U.S. Cl 104/93; 104/118; 105/29 R; A monorail comprises a rail body consisting of a pipe 238/123; 238/134 member having a rectangular cross-section adapted to [51] Int. Cl ..E01b 25/22 be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are [58] Field of Search 104/132, 118l20, brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces 104/89, 93; 105/29 R; 238/123, 134, 135 of the rail body, and a rack portion formed on one surface of the rail body. [56] References Cited 7 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTED HAYZOIQYI'I v 3.884.153

SHEET 10F 3 PAIE T HAYZOISYS 3.884153 1 SHEET 2 OF 3 v INVENTOR.

MONORAIL STRUCTURE The present application is a divisional application to my co-pending patent application Ser. No. 211,312 filed on Dec. 23, 1971 (now abandoned).

The present invention relates to amonorail structure and more particularly to a monorail structure with a rack portion designed to prevent a carriage from running away.

A long as a rack portion must be shaped by cutting operations, such monorail structures have tremendous prices.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a monorail structure with a rack portion shaped by press-cutting and/or bending operation so as to be manufactured at moderate prices.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a monorail structure embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the monorail structure embodying the present invention as shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another monorail structure modified from that of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of the monorail structure of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the developed (unfolded) monorail structure of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a monorail structure further embodying the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of the monorail structure of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the developed monorail structure of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a monorail structure still further embodying the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a monorail structure modified from that of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a still another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a hauling system wherein a tractor travels on the monorail of that type shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another hauling system wherein a tractor travels on the monorail of the type shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the other hauling system wherein a tractor travels on the monorail of that shown in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a rail body 11 comprising a pipe having a rectangular cross-section. The rail body 11 may be formed from a seamless pipe made by drawing. One surface of the rail body 11 is formed with a rack portion 12 having a plurality of beaten grooves 13 spaced at a prescribed pitch in a longitudinal direction of the rail body 11 and extending across the length of the rail body 11. There is provided an accessery of the monorail which is a joint 14 for rail bodies as shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show a rail body 21 comprising a seamed pipe having a rectangular cross-section. The rail body 21 is formed in steps of press-cutting pairs of slits 22 spaced at a prescribed pitch along a longitudinal direction of a flat plate member 21a, beating outwards from the surface of said flat plate member 21a teeth 23 formed between the pairs of slits 22 respectively, bending the flat plate member 21a to cause it to be formed into a rectangular pipe, and finally welding both side edges of said plate member abutting to each other. Consequently, a rack portion 24 consisting of the beated teeth 23 is disposed on one arm surface of said rail body 21.

FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate a rail body 31 comprising a seamed pipe having a rectangular cross-section. Said rail body 31 is formed by the steps of press-cutting one side edge ofa flat plate member 31a so as to form a plurality of teeth 32 spaced for a prescribed pitch along the longitudinal direction of said plate member, beating the flakes of the teeth 32 to form are protrusions 32a, bending the flat plate member 31a, to cause it to be formed into a rectangular pipe, with the teeth disposed on one arm surface of the pipe, and finally welding the duplicated portions of the plate member 31a to seam it. Consequently, a rack portion 33 consisting of said teeth 32 is positioned on the rail body 31.

FIG. 9 show a rail body 41 comprising a seamed pipe having a rectangular cross-section. The rail body 41 is formed by the steps of presscutting one side edge of a flat plate member 41a so as to form a plurality of teeth 42 spaced for a prescribed pitch along the longitudinal direction of said plate member, bending the flanks of the teeth 42 to form them into a V-shapes, bending the flat plate member 41a to cause it to be formed into a rectangle pipe, with the teeth disposed on the side portion of one arm surface of the pipe, and finally welding the duplicated portions of the plate member 41a to seam it. Accordingly, a rack portion 43 consisting of said teeth 42 is positioned on the rail body 41.

FIG. 10 indicates a rail body 51 comprising of a seamed pipe having a rectangle cross-section. The rail body 51 is formed by steps like they illustrated and explained in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 9, except that the flanks of teeth 52 are formed into U- shapes.

FIGS. 11 and 12 indicate a rail body 61 comprising a seamless pipe having a rectangle cross-section. To one arm surface of said rail body 61 is attached a racked member 62 consisting of a steel band. The racked member 62 has a plurality of teeth 63 formed by bending said steel band in zigzag. The racked member 62, though riveted to the rail body 61 in this embodiment, may be attached to the rail body by spot- Welding.

A tractor 71 used in a hauling system involving a monorail of that type illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, comprises upper and lower rollers between which the rail body 61 is pinched in such a manner that the upper rollers 72 are brought into contact with the upper surface of the rail body 61, and lower double-flanged rollers 73 brought into contact with both side portions of the under surface of the rail body separate from that place to which the racked member 62 is attached.

The tractor 71 may have a pin gear wheel 74 which is intermeshed with the teeth 63 of the racked member 62, thereby preventing the tractor 71 from slippingly running away. For this purpose, the pin gear wheel should be connected to a driving shaft or associated with a braking system. In this embodiment, there are illustrated trucks 75 hauled by said tractor 71.

A tractor 81 used in a hauling system involving a monorail of that type illustrated in FIG. 3, comprises upper and lower rollers between which the rail body 21 is pinched. In this case, to the peripheral portion of the upper rollers 82 is attached a friction rubber 83 so that said friction rubber 83 is forcefully depressed to the upper surface of the rail body 21 in a manner to cause the flexible layer of said rubber 83 to be frictionally intermeshed with the teeth of the rack portion 24.

A tractor 91 used in hauling system involving a monorail of that type illustrated in FIG. 9, comprises upper and lower rollers 92 and 93 between which the rail body 41 is gripped. In this case, to one sides of'the lower rollers 93 are formed geared wheels 94 which are engaged with the teeth 42 of the rack portion 43 arranged along one side of the under surface of the rail body 41. Accordingly, the tractor 91 can be avoided from slipping.

What is claimed is:

l. A monorail structure, comprising:

a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and

a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member integrally formed with teeth by deformation of the material of said pipe member.

2. A monorail structure, comprising:

a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said rail body being adapted to be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces of said rail body, and said rack portion having a plurality of grooves beaten by a pressing operation on the surface of said rail body so that a driving wheel or roller of said carriage is intermeshed with said rack portion, thereby preventing the carriage from slippingly running away.

3. A monorail structure, comprising:

a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and

a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said pipe member being a seamed pipe member, said rail body adapted to be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces of said rail body, and said rack portion having a plurality of flakes beat out from the surface of said rail body by pressing operation before said rail body is bent into a rectangular shape.

4. A monorail structure, comprising:

a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and

a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said pipe member being a seamed pipe member, said rail body adapted to be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces of said rail body, and said rack portion having a plurality of teeth formed by press-cutting one side edge of a flat plate member and duplicated on the arm surface of said rail body as the flat plate member is bent into a rectangular shaped rail body.

5. A monorail structure claimed in claim 4, in which each of the teeth of said rack portions is bent into a V-shape, and

said teeth are arranged along one side of said outer surface of said rail body.

6. A monorail structure claimed in claim 4, in which each of the teeth of said rack portion is bent into a U-shape, and

said teeth are arranged along one side of said outer surface of said rail body.

7. A monorail structure, comprising:

a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said rack portion constituting a rack member formed from a steel band bent zigzag, said rack member positioned under said rail body and being attached to a surface of said rail body. 

1. A monorail structure, comprising: a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular crosssection, and a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member integrally formed with teeth by deformation of the material of said pipe member.
 2. A monorail structure, comprising: a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said rail body being adapted to be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces of said rail body, and said rack portion having a plurality of grooves beaten by a pressing operation on the surface of said rail body so that a driving wheel or roller of said carriage is intermeshed with said rack portion, thereby preventing the carriage from slippingly running away.
 3. A monorail structure, comprising: a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said pipe member being a seamed pipe member, said rail body adapted to be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces of said rail body, and said rack portion having a plurality of flakes beat out from the surface of said rail body by pressing operation before said rail body is bent into a rectangular shape.
 4. A monorail structure, comprising: a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said pipe member being a seamed pipe member, said rail body adapted to be pinched between rollers of a carriage which are brought into contact with mutually opposite surfaces of said rail body, and said rack portion having a plurality of teeth formed by press-cutting one side edge of a flat plate member and duplicated on the arm surface of said rail body as the flat plate member is bent into a rectangular shaped rail body.
 5. A monorail structure claimed in claim 4, in which each of the teeth of said rack portions is bent into a V-shape, and said teeth are arranged along one side of said outer surface of said rail body.
 6. A monorail structure claimed in claim 4, in which each of the teeth of said rack portion is bent into a U-shape, and said teeth are arranged along one side of said outer surface of said rail body.
 7. A monorail structure, comprising: a rail body comprising a pipe member having a rectangular cross-section, and a rack portion on an outer surface of said pipe member, said rack portion constituting a rack member formed from a steel band bent zigzag, said rack member positioned under said rail body and being attached to a surface of said rail body. 